Something is going on that's for sure. Rumours, happenings and rumours..

From DS

Quote:

Rapid raids to capture 'corrupt, godfathers'
Many political leaders under watch; airports on alert; many go into hiding
Staff Correspondent

Just hours into the declaration of state of emergency, the army arrested Giasuddin Al Mamun while raiding the residences and offices of several political leaders and businessmen including former influential ministers on Thursday night.

The raids were carried out as part of a crackdown on 'corruptionists and godfathers of criminals', according to sources.

To arrest Mamun, a close friend and business partner of BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman, troops went to Channel 1 office around 2:30am yesterday. Not finding him there, they went to his house in DOHS in the capital.

A rumour that he had been finally arrested by the troops was rife all through the day yesterday, which was confirmed by well placed sources last night who said he was in the custody of the army but where they did not know. No government source however confirmed the arrest of Mamun.
The army also arrested former Awami League (AL) lawmaker Kamal Ahmed Majumder from his Banani residence.

According to the sources, the army also raided the residences of former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar, former BNP lawmakers Mosaddek Ali Falu, Mirza Abbas, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Salahuddin Ahmed, Ali Asgar Lobby, and former AL lawmaker Haji Mohammad Selim.

Intelligence sources said about 30 leaders of the two main political parties -- BNP and AL have been put under surveillance.

According to sources, Tarique Rahman, former law minister Moudud Ahmed, former ministers Nazmul Huda, Mirza Abbas, former lawmaker Falu, and Dhaka City AL General Secretary Mofazzal Hossan Chowdhury Maya are also on the list of persons to be watched by the intelligence agencies.

Land and air ports have been alerted so that the listed persons cannot leave the country. "We've received a list of some people who have been barred from going abroad," a Special Branch (SB) officer said on condition of anonymity.

Although Ali Asgar Lobby was scheduled to fly for London yesterday noon, he did not turn up at the airport, the SB officer said adding that Lobby's name is on the list too.

The army conducted raids in the capital all through Thursday night and the early hours of yesterday. They raided Babar's house in Gulshan, Falu's residence in New DOHS, Mirza Abbas' house in Shahjahanpur and Salahuddin's house in Demra.

None of the persons alleged to be on the list of 'corruptionists and godfathers' could be reached over the phone yesterday although sources said Moudud Ahmed is staying in his residence.

Troops searched Haji Selim's house on Water Works Road in Lalbagh and took position in front of his house, according to the sources.

Troops also took position in front of Nasiruddin Pintu's house on Moneshwar Road, the sources said. Talking to The Daily Star, Pintu however denied the presence of army personnel in front of his house and the authenticity of the report of a raid.

The army arrested Kamal Majumder from his Banani house around 1:30am yesterday. As they knocked on his door in C Block, Kamal himself opened the door. He was handed over to Gulshan police around 4:00am.

"The army personnel arrested him on charge of patronising political clashes," duty officer Jasim (full name could not be known immediately) of Gulshan Police Station told The Daily Star.

Mokhles' last dirty trick
The controversial man was removed after he hoodwinked the media with fake censorship threat
Staff Correspondent

Mokhlesur Rahman Chowdhury was removed yesterday from his post of adviser to the president after he tricked the country's private television channels into suspending broadcast of their news bulletins under a censorship threat in the first hours of the state of emergency.

Mokhles, whose trick however did not work for the print media, claimed to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Bangla Service that he resigned from the post and was not removed.

Soon after the declaration of a state of emergency Thursday night, Mokhles unilaterally called all private television channels and radio stations and issued a verbal order to immediately stop broadcasting of all news bulletins and political talk shows.

He also slapped a ban on newspapers from publishing news or cartoons criticising the government.

When Editor of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam queried President Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday about the ban, the president said he was unaware of any such move and that if any such move has taken place it had been made without his knowledge.

The Public Information Department (PID) also informed The Daily Star last night that Mokhles personally ordered the PID to call the private television channels and radio stations for stopping their news broadcast.

Earlier, Mokhles repeatedly attempted to mislead the public by releasing to the media information that contradicted the decisions taken by the council of advisers.

The last glaring example of Mokhles' misdeeds was revealed when former adviser Dhiraj Kumar Nath categorically contradicted a statement Mokhles had released to the public on January 9, 2007.

Mokhles was appointed the president's press secretary in 2004 and was later given the extra-constitutional post of adviser to the president after Iajuddin took up the added responsibility of chief adviser to the caretaker government.

Bangabhaban sources accused Mokhles of violating regulations by attending the advisory council meetings and supplying confidential minutes of those meetings to the BNP while serving as the president's adviser.

On numerous occasions, Mokhles also spoke in those meetings--despite strong protests from the advisers--on possible courses of the caretaker government's action, sources added.
Government officials have alleged that Mokhles tried to exert his influence over postings and, in some cases, received money in exchange. He is also accused of demeaning senior government officials while speaking to them.

I think the most we can take out of the DS article is that things are happening...and the army's keeping an eye on the people who have put the country through all these. All the names mentioned from both parties have been involved in the recent atrocities. So my guess is that, even if the army hasn't raided all their residences/work places, they have their eyes on these people.

I think, on top of these, they're also tapping into their phone lines. They should, if not yet done, do this...including evesdropping on their cell phone conversations. Since the country's in a state of emergency for the first time when I (and may be many of us young blood) can really understand what's going on, it's okay to think that the army has been deployed to control the uncontrollable political figures? Could someone enlighten me on this?

Originally Posted by rupantor
News from Daily Star on Mokhlesur Rahman Chowdhury

Regardless of what media games he played, I think it's fair to say that it worked to the best interest of the country. Since media wasn't broadcasting anything, the overall picture could not have been assessed by the big guys...and that may have prevented some atrocities from preventing? And as mentioned earlier, this may definitely have eased tensions about more strikes and oborodhs?

ei rumor gula shunteo bhalo lage, even if some of them are true. I was talking to my parents in BD and they were saying all of a sudden there was this wave of peace all around. Feels really good to be in this dream world, hope this is not short lived.

Originally Posted by bdcricmad
Miraz bhai, I've gone through the reports in all the three newspapers regarding raids, but didn't find much difference among them. Did you read them carefully?

Yap, there is difference, except daily star, the papers I mentioned and Prothom Alo haven't reported about military operation on Babar and Mirza Abbas's residence and there was no news about arrest of Mamun.

I have no problem if they are arrested or there is operation against them, but news should be confirmed before publishing.

Originally Posted by ialbd
I was talking to my parents in BD and they were saying all of a sudden there was this wave of peace all around. Feels really good to be in this dream world, hope this is not short lived.

This is something that everyone should take notice of: When we have democratically elected government, a parliament, civil rights, and all that goes with that, we don't always feel safe or peaceful. But now, under this emergency, all of a sudden people are feeling good. They feel safe.

Now, under this emergency, we don't have

1. right of public gathering (even for wedding parties!)
2. right of speech, thoughts
3. right of property ownership (do you know that all the personal property in Bangladesh is now owned by the state?)
4. no press freedom
5. .....

And the list goes on for some more. And with all these, people in Bangladesh are feeling so safe and excited about finally this long chaos being over! I remember feeling sort of the same way when Ershad came to power as martial law administrator. The streets were cleaned up, you didn't see a piece of trash any where, every 100 yeards you saw these drums written "use me"!, a number of "mastans" got a free haircut done by the army because the army felt that their hair was too long and indicent!, etc. And there were no problems in the universities, classes were going on nicely, schools were open and we thought..."may be if this continues, we can get through the university without having session jam!"

Well, that didn't actually happen! We got rid of Ershad while we're in the universities, got a taste of "Ershad Vacation" a number of times and so on. In those days, leaving the dorm in hours notice, sometimes in the middle of "hartal"....that was a different kind of excitement!!!

Anyway, that's not the point of this post.

Does it not suggest that the mass people in Bangladesh are ready to trade off their fundamental rights for a little piece in their lives? Our political system and political parties made it so much worst!

Then again, I see all those people gathered in political meetings....not all of them were bussed in for hired....right?

Politicians have destroyed almost every values and perception of common people about their basic human rights. People just want peace at the expense of almost everything.

Secondly, human rights, freedom of speech and other points which can be listed are not applicable to most of the general population as they are struggling to survive with minimum means. Some peace and if they can go out for their livelihood, they are more than happy.

Originally Posted by sensible
Then again, I see all those people gathered in political meetings....not all of them were bussed in for hired....right?

In a country of 150 million population and with rather high illiteracy and unemployment, its not at all surprising. Some people are hired and some go there in search of some 'halua ruti' in suitable time and yes, some people still believe these political bigots.

Originally Posted by sensible
This is something that everyone should take notice of: When we have democratically elected government, a parliament, civil rights, and all that goes with that, we don't always feel safe or peaceful. But now, under this emergency, all of a sudden people are feeling good. They feel safe.

Now, under this emergency, we don't have

1. right of public gathering (even for wedding parties!)
2. right of speech, thoughts
3. right of property ownership (do you know that all the personal property in Bangladesh is now owned by the state?)
4. no press freedom
5. .....

And the list goes on for some more. And with all these, people in Bangladesh are feeling so safe and excited about finally this long chaos being over! I remember feeling sort of the same way when Ershad came to power as martial law administrator. The streets were cleaned up, you didn't see a piece of trash any where, every 100 yeards you saw these drums written "use me"!, a number of "mastans" got a free haircut done by the army because the army felt that their hair was too long and indicent!, etc. And there were no problems in the universities, classes were going on nicely, schools were open and we thought..."may be if this continues, we can get through the university without having session jam!"

Well, that didn't actually happen! We got rid of Ershad while we're in the universities, got a taste of "Ershad Vacation" a number of times and so on. In those days, leaving the dorm in hours notice, sometimes in the middle of "hartal"....that was a different kind of excitement!!!

Anyway, that's not the point of this post.

Does it not suggest that the mass people in Bangladesh are ready to trade off their fundamental rights for a little piece in their lives? Our political system and political parties made it so much worst!

Then again, I see all those people gathered in political meetings....not all of them were bussed in for hired....right?

I see your point based on the observations you made.
However, it doesnt suggest that Bangladeshi's are willing to trade off a lot of basic freedom for little peace.
You talk about your parent and there are millions of people in Bangladesh who probably feel the same way. But the last three months have been also very hard for bangaldeshis. Only time will tell whether they are willing to trade freedom for peace.
In 1990, people did choose freedom over peace.
Finally, I feel that to put peace and basic freedom against each other is not right. These are definately not the two things that have changed in the last few years. There is definately some other factiors that must be considered.

Well, peace vs freedom must have a reason to become important today. As some of us already mentioned we felt some kind of peaceful time during Ershad's introduction (through martial law restructuring) and we also experienced suffocation prior to Gonoandolon in 90 as Ershad led reign did not give what people really wanted. Then we celebrated democracy after 90 (not sure if democracy is a good solution to a third world country like ours or not) and again we are unsettled with the current vulnerability today.

So have the people lowered their expectation in the face of chronic non fulfillment of their needs - is that why people are feeling happy at this short term silence during the emergency situations? OR are people honestly disinterested in politics as they now (not only know but also) realize that politics is not what will bring them peace/happiness. BD increased GDP in the face of ongoing political unrest and hartals, Dr. Yunus proved micro credit can be successful and able to bring happiness to rural people - So people may have started thinking and accepting that politicians may run the country but their own peace will depend on their willingness to fight outside political boundaries. If this is true, I think politics in BD need to change and people/centre who's contributing to raising human happiness factors should take up power.

Therefore, the question is What/who is making these (gdp growth within political unrest, willingness to work in the midst of ongoing turmoil, even people started talking about openly establishing bribes as service charges so that they dont have to delay because of day to day hassles - they are desperate to work and rise and find peace on their own without waiting for govt to act for them) happen? The question is not peace vs freedom. Rather the question is when we can find that power/centre/people who can put an end to this crisis. Otherwise we may see the same things again as we saw with Ershad, Gonoandolon, democracy...and so on. This is just a thought - I might be wrong but just wanted to make a point. Thanks.

I think peace and freedom should be on same side. people started to say peace vs freedom as they are fed up with political parties' standard degradation. They now think "chere de ma kende bachi". They have put politics on one side and their life on another side. The picture should be other way around. They may feel happy when they see curfews, discipline, commands etc. I heard people were happy to see RAB on patrol as they could walk safely in the evening. They want to go out and fight for peace themselves and in doing so whenever political parties keep silence they feel they can work on their own and feel happy. People should feel happy when politics take the lead to let them go out and work peacefully. Then we could have said something like "Peace and freedom" rather than saying "peace vs freedom".